


Gifts and Prayers

by Caraidean



Category: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 15:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17266625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caraidean/pseuds/Caraidean
Summary: For an anonymous Twitter user. On a winter night a year before setting out to aid Sigurd in rescuing Ethlyn, Finn and his lieges exchange gifts. Finn finds himself bemused by how seriously Ethlyn takes the tradition.





	Gifts and Prayers

**Author's Note:**

> For Nagamas 2018.   
> Prompt: 4. Quan/Ethlyn/Finn- gift giving
> 
> It's been ages since I've written either of the not-Finn characters in this, so hopefully it's still come out alright.

"Lady Ethlyn, I thought I told you there was no need to do this..." 

Ethlyn stared at him for a moment, seeming completely confused by the concept before letting out a short laugh and shaking her head. Her hands pushed the small parcel into Finn's chest again, more stubborn this time as her playful glance turned into a narrow-eyed glare that actually made the young man take an intimidated step back for a moment. 

"Finn? Take your presents. You got us something, didn't you." 

Finn wasn't sure how he could hear that it was a statement rather than a question, but it was pretty clear and he was certain his guilty glance over to the pile of parcels in the corner wasn't helping. Quan let out a small cough into his hand that seemed to be masking a laugh, not that Finn would accuse his lord of anything so unrefined, before turning the two with a polite smile. 

" Ethlyn, you don't need to pressure him. If he doesn't want to take it he doesn't have to." He assured the two of them, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder. Ethlyn pouted, kicking at the ground before turning to Quan with wide eyes and a quivering lip. 

"But Quaaaan, I just want him to know that we appreciate him." Ethlyn stretched out her words, and the two men exchanged equally blank glances. They both knew in that moment there was little chance of escaping their fate, and Finn let out a slight sigh and took the parcel after a brief moment with an inclined head. 

"I know you do, Lady Ethlyn. Thank you." Finn said, genuinely grateful and touched as he set the parcel aside. Ethlyn's eyes narrowed again and she jabbed a finger into his chest, getting up on her tip-toes to stare into his eyes a little closer. 

"You're going to open that, right?" She asked dangerously. Finn's own eyes widened for a brief instant before he sat down on the chair and slowly picked the present up again, unraveling it with cautious hands and the occasional glance towards Ethlyn and an amused-looking Quan. "And what do you ask Quan, Finn?" 

_ If he can get me out of this before you try and replace my entire wardrobe again?  _

"Nothing. I have nothing more to ask of my liege lord." Finn said calmly, pausing in unwrapping as he tried to figure out Ethlyn's angle. "...what did you expect me to say?" 

"At this point, I'm not sure why I expected anything other than that from you." Ethlyn said glumly, shaking her head and sighing. "So much for using you as practice for Altenna's second birthday, huh? Or, wait - hey, love? When do babies start talking?" 

"I'm not sure." Quan said, holding the named newborn infant in his hands and shrugging a little, trying not to awaken her. He walked over to the two, passing Altenna to his wife and watching as the 'danger' Ethlyn represented faded away into a ball of gentle cooing over her daughter. "But to end this mild mess of charades, Finn, she was trying to get you to ask if I had gotten you something as well." 

"Truthfully, my lord, I actually feel mildly put off at being used as practice for the Lady Altenna." Finn allowed a slight amount of humour to slip into his voice, unable to remain completely stoic and 'proper' around his lord and lady at this point. The young knight hesitated, slowly standing up and walking around the two of them. "But before that, I got some things for the three of you as well." 

"Truly?" Ethlyn's attention snapped back to him, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You actually did that?" 

"Of course I did. The two of you have given me...so many chances that, truly, I do not deserve." He said, as sincere as he could be while he passed the parcels out to the two of them. Watching the Lady Altenna's tiny fingers toy with Ethlyn's box with the wide-eyed and fascinated gaze that seemed to come naturally to all small children was strangely comforting, and seemed to enrapture Ethlyn in equal measure again. Quan opened his with little ceremony, the man pausing before letting out a small bark of laughter at the sight of it. 

"Hah, I recognize this! I didn't think you would keep it, truth be told." 

"Once again, well, how could I not?" Finn asked ruefully as Quan produced the shattered head of a lance from the box, the metal fashioned into a clasp for a cloak or pouch. "I remember that day most vividly, my lord. You certainly did a number on me." 

"A what?" Ethlyn glanced at her husband's gift, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "The heck is that?" 

"This was from the lance he was training with when I sparred with him for the first time. He got the upper hand for a brief moment, before he shattered his spear upon mine." Quan said, a hint of pride in his voice as he settled the clasp back in its box. Ethlyn pouted a little, seemingly put off by the more intimate and less showy gift than she had been expecting. 

"And what did you get me?" Ethlyn tore open the paper once Altenna was set down in her cot, the girl falling asleep almost instantly. The healer let out a soft gasp after opening it, producing a tiny hat the shade of Finn's hair and matching mittens. "Oh, my. You got something  _ perfect- _ " 

She had turned to wake Altenna and put them on, but Quan managed to intercept his wife's determined movement and put a hand on her shoulder. "Later, Ethlyn. Let the babe rest." Ethlyn's shoulders slumped, and she pouted a little. 

"Aw...fine. But she's going to look adorable, Finn. Thank you." Finn smiled, and was about to excuse himself from the room entirely when a hand latched onto both of his shoulders. Quan's grip was more firm and reassuring, while Ethlyn's was actually mildly painful. 

"Finn?" Ethlyn said in a low, dangerous voice that made Quan squeeze his knight's shoulder reassuringly. "Open your damn presents before I make you open them." 

Finn resisted the urge to point out that was what she was doing at this moment either way, and just sat back down on the seat. He picked up Ethlyn's present again and gave her a weak smile, starting to unwrap it and pausing in genuine surprise when he saw what it was. 

"Is this-?" He asked, getting a cheery nod from Ethlyn in response. Genuinely taken aback he lifted the brooch out, running a finger over the holy iconography that had clearly been put there with a careful, caring hand. "I didn't know you still made charms, Lady Ethlyn. Once you learned how to use a staff-" 

"It's been a while." Ethlyn waved her hand, dismissive. "Just make sure you wear it, right? I've never been great at the charms, but - I'm pretty sure I got this one right. Maybe it'll help keep you alive while you take care of the two of us, huh?" 

"Thank you." Finn said, gratefully. He turned to Quan, expecting him to pass something as well, but Quan's face was strangely flushed and he coughed into his hand. 

"Mine, ah. Mine isn't ready yet." He admitted quietly. Ethlyn's eyes narrowed dangerously as she put her hands on her hips, letting out a low growl. 

"It’s  **_what_ ** ." 

"It's a very complicated weapon to forge." Quan said, evasively. "It'll be ready within a few months, Ethlyn--" 

"A few  _ months _ ? My love, are you saying that you merely placed the  _ order  _ for Finn's gift what, a few  **_days_ ** ago?" 

"You're dismissed." Quan told Finn hastily, picking up Altenna and passing her to the bemused knight. "I'll talk her down, fear not. Thank you once again for the gift."

"You're welcome, my lord." Finn said, trying not to smile too much at Ethlyn's continued indignation or Quan's attempts to deflect his bride's exaggerated rage as he stepped out. Altenna awoke and started playing with the Prayer brooch that he'd been given, the medallion currently clasped loosely to his tunic low enough for the infant to fiddle with it.

It was strange, how much more like a family his lord and lady felt like. Hardly what he had been expecting this to turn into when he had entered their service - and he would admit, his interest in the weapon Quan had commissioned for him was piqued. He wondered what it was.


End file.
